Healings
by kateydidnt
Summary: This story is about the Longbottoms (well kind of, but not really)so read!
1. Heartache and Heartbreak

Author's Note: I'm giving you fair warning, I don't know when I'll have the next part up. I've got a lot of school right now so it might be a while. But please tell me what you think anyway.

Disclaimer: Susan and Troy are mine as well as anyone else you haven't heard of. You know what and who belongs to J. K. Rowling.

Healings

Prologue: Heartache and Heartbreak

By Kateydidnt

It was the perfect day for a wedding. Spring was just starting to show its first buds. The sky was as blue as it could be and whip cream clouds sailed by on light breezes. The temperature was just right as Nancy and Susan Tralet got ready for their double wedding. The identical brunettes were giddy with anticipation.

__

Do you think everyone is here yet? Nancy asked Susan through their mindlink.

"Everyone except Frank." said Susan, as straight faced as she could, which wasn't very straight and then she went into a fit of giggles at Nancy's look of horror.

"Oh, you!" Nancy grabbed her wand and made a pillow fly off the bed and hit Susan in the stomach, sending her sprawling to the floor. 

"Girls!" said their Mother coming in and surveying the damage, "Really," she continued as she lent Susan a hand up, "today is your wedding day!"

"Mother are Frank and Troy ready?" asked Nancy.

"I believe so, at least…" Mrs. Tralet began.

"Have all the guests arrived?" cut in Susan.

"Well, let me see," she took a long list out of the pocket of her lavender dress robes, "Dumbledore, Lilly and James Potter, Sirius Black, Megan and Terry Cramer, Remus Lupin, Molly and Arthur Weasley and their kids, Severus Snape, Tanya Donaldson, Renee Coolie, Lynn Rosmerta, Minerva McGonagall, Peter Pettigrew, Davey Gudgeon, Mundungus Fletcher…," she continued on and on, finally ending with, "are all here."

"A simple 'yes' would have sufficed, Mother." Said Nancy giggling slightly, then turning to Susan, added in a more serious tone, "I still can't see why you insisted in inviting Slimeball Snape."

"Nancy! He and Troy have been friends for years."

"Ok, ok just don't sit him near the Potters. But I still don't like him. And these days…" she trailed off and the three of them exchanged a dark look.

"Come on today is a happy day!" Mrs. Tralet said trying to lighten the mood, "Your father would have been proud of you."

"Mother, I miss him so much!" Susan said picking up a picture taken just a year ago, in which she and her father were dancing. Then she recalled his funeral only two months later.

"I know dear, we all do." Said Mrs. Tralet softly, drawing her two daughters into a tight embrace. There came a knock at the door.

"Come in," called Nancy. Two women entered, one was a tall and formidable looking witch decked out in pale blue gauzy robes, the other a short grandmotherly witch in light green crushed velvet robes.

"Mrs. Longbottom," said Nancy addressing the one in blue.

"Mrs. Saari," said Susan at the same time to the other.

"Really, Susan, you're going to have to call me Joanne!" said Mrs. Saari.

"And Nancy, I've told you to call me Cheryl!" Said Mrs. Longbottom.

"Anyway," continued Joanne, "they're ready for you."

The two brides took one last look in the mirror at their designer wedding robes, hugged each other and followed their mother and soon-to-be mothers-in-law out of the room.

They were finally getting married.

~~~~~~~~

That night newlyweds Frank and Nancy Longbottom and Susan and Troy Saari checked into the two Honeymoon Suites at Blue Lagoon. The two couples ate dinner together, however over the table the conversation turned a bit unpleasant. It began with the twins' innocent conversation about the wedding gifts they had received.

"And that mirror Severus gave us? It's a gorgeous antique!" said Susan. Troy nodded in agreement. Frank on the other hand gave an odd sort of grunt.

"I'd be wary of him if I were you." He said.

"Now Frank, " said Troy in an agitated voice, "Severus and I have been friends since we were boys, even at Hogwarts when he was in Slytherin and I was in Ravenclaw."

"Troy," Frank looked around quickly to make sure nobody else was listening and went on in a low voice, "there have been suspicions concerning Severus and some of his activities. I just want you to be careful."

"Frank," Troy answered in a low furious voice, "you don't know everything, even in your job, you don't hear it all. Dumbledore trusts Severus and that should be good enough for you."

"Please!" broke in Susan and Nancy together.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence.

~~~~~~~~

__

(1 year later)

The Saari's and the Longbottom's, now including 3 month old Neville, were celebrating their first anniversary. They were again at Blue Lagoon. They were enjoying a light breakfast, watching the last vestiges of night yield to on coming day, when two owls came fluttering in. One carried a letter for Frank the other one for Troy.

Frank groaned and handed his letter to Nancy for her to read.

__

Frank,

My most sincere apologies. It is most unfortunate that I must interrupt your anniversary; however, the situation cannot be helped. I know you haven't had much time at all with your wife and son lately and I promised you four days off, but we need you badly Frank. You are one of the best we have. You will be compensated in overtime pay, I know it's a poor substitute to spending time with your family, but, I repeat, we need you.

Albus Dumbledore

"Oh, dear!" said Nancy while explaining the contents of the letter to Susan through the mindlink. Susan, though, was more occupied with the contents of Troy's letter.

__

Troy,

I shouldn't even be writing this, but I couldn't not write it. You're the best friend I've got, and you've believed in me when no one else would. I can't tell you much, nothing really. But I want you to be extremely careful. You're position as director of International Magical Cooperation puts you at risk. Be Careful!!

Severus

As Frank and Troy shared the contents of each other's letters no one questioned the reason behind the correspondences-it could only be Voldemort.

~~~~~~~~

__

(6 months later)

Susan had just finished her evening shopping in Diagon Alley. She was too tired to Apperate. She had passed her test but whenever she was nervous or exhausted tended to be a little off in her aim. Once she had even splinted herself. Right now she didn't have enough energy so she went out of the Leaky Cauldron and into Muggle London. Climbing into a Muggle Taxi, she thought anxiously about the rumors she had heard just that day. More and more attacks, more openly attacking. Susan just wanted to get home to Troy. The taxi pulled up at the Saari's house on the outskirts of London. Susan unloaded her packages and paid the driver. He sped away as she turned toward the small house and stopped dead in her tracks.

Floating above the house was a grisly green skull with a snake protruding from the mouth, instead of a tongue.

The Dark Mark.

~~~~~~~~

Nancy was bathing and taking care of nine month Neville when she "heard" Susan scream. 

"Susan!" she gasped trying to reach her twin, but Susan was inadvertently blocking her. A moment later Nancy rushed into her living room.

"Frank," she panted holding her head because Susan's screaming was giving her a migraine, "go to Susan's house right now! Something's wrong and I can't leave Neville in the tub!"

Frank, thoroughly beaten from a long day at work, nevertheless Apperated immediately to the Saari's house.

Susan was standing stone still on her front walk, eyes wide in horror, mouth open in a silent scream. Frank sent an emergency call to the Magical Law Enforcement Squad. He then walked over to his sister-in-law and shook her a bit. She blinked and stared at him for a moment then collapsed into his arms, sobbing. Moments later there were popping sounds as a dozen or so wizards Apperated onto the scene.

Frank spotted Albus Dumbledore. "Hold her, I need to go inside," said Frank in an odd sort of squeezed voice. Dumbledore supported the sobbing Susan as Frank ran into the house.

Troy was lying on the living room floor, dead.

~~~~~~~~

In the end the murderer, a death eater, was caught, a small painting which, he had not noticed sitting on a table, identified him. It was Rosier. He was cornered by the Auror Alastor Moody but died fighting. This, though, was no comfort to Susan. She moved out of her home and to an apartment a few blocks from Frank and Nancy. Susan found comfort in visiting her young nephew but she was depressed. First her father, then her husband, who next? She didn't want to think about it. She was also blocking Nancy in their mindlink. No one knew why some twins were born with the mindlink and others weren't. The phenomenon was rare, only about one pair in fifty wizarding twins had it, but not unheard of. What made the Tralet twins different was that Susan, the elder of the two, could block Nancy from reading her mind, while Nancy could not. Some speculated that it was because Susan was born on Halloween and Nancy on November first but there was no evidence to prove that. As kids Susan had periodically blocked Nancy out of spite in childish squabbles but never for very long.

Until now. Susan had never blocked Nancy for so long. Susan was withdrawn and it seemed that nothing could pull her out of her melancholy.

Then six weeks after Troy's funeral was Halloween, Susan's 21st birthday. Susan was at the Longbottom's because Nancy had decided to give her a small party, only inviting a few friends and family to help lighten Susan's mood. Frank was still working even though it was well past quitting time.

The girls' mother was greeting the late-coming guests. Joanne Saari had come as had Cheryl Longbottom. Severus Snape had arrived, Nancy had requested him especially, and Tanya Donaldson, Susan's old friend, was just coming in the door when Frank arrived home.

He was pale and looked shaken.

"Frank!" Nancy rushed over to his side, "What happened?" Everyone stood motionless, staring at Frank, hoping that there had not been another attack.

"There has been another attack." Frank said, confirming their fears, "A little over an hour ago, Voldemort himself (a little shiver went around the room at the name) went to Lily and James Potter's house. He killed James and then Lily. Then he turned on young Harry." There was complete silence as Nancy hugged sleeping Neville closer to her chest, as if to protect him from Harry's fate. "But," Frank continued in an awed voice, "when Voldemort tried to kill Harry, the curse didn't work! Harry survived!" Everyone was staring at Frank in wonder. After a moment Susan spoke up.

"And then what happened?" she whispered.

Frank gave a small shrug of wonder, "I don't know why, or how it happened but when Voldemort failed to kill Harry he…he lost his powers! There are rumors flying, some say he died, others say he fled, wasted, half-dead. _But, he lost his powers!!_

Frank stopped speaking but he still looked half dazed, he shook himself as if to make sure it wasn't a dream. Nobody else knew how to react. They stood silent for a while trying to register these facts.

Susan however focused on one thought. It was over. Voldemort was gone! She didn't have to live in fear anymore. Her loved ones were safe. And she started crying, in sorrow for those who had died and in joy for the relief the news brought. For the first time in weeks she opened up her mind to Nancy.

Healing had begun.

~~~~~~~~

As the wizarding community in its entirety celebrated the Dark Lord's down fall, Susan pulled her life back together. She still mourned a great deal for Troy, but she knew she could go on.

~~~~~~~~

It was a few days after Neville's first birthday and Susan had taken him to London's Mystical Menagerie of Magical Animals (owned and operated by the same family that ran Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley.) Her nephew was delighted by all the creatures. They spent the day together, Neville babbling in baby talk and Susan grinning broadly at his awkward walk. Finally she decided it was time to go home. It wasn't far and it was a cool evening, quite warm even for December.

She walked through Nancy's back door, set the miniature unicorn she'd bought Neville on the kitchen counter and set Neville on the floor.

"Nancy? Frank? I'm here!" she walked toward the doorway leading to the hall. Hearing footsteps she continued, "Neville and I had the most…" she trailed off as she saw Albus Dumbledore hurrying toward her. She felt cold dread creeping up her spine.

"Susan, come here," said Dumbledore directing her back toward the kitchen.

"What, wh…" Susan's mouth was dry and her breath was catching in her throat.

"Susan there is no easy way to say this. This afternoon some death eaters attacked Frank and Nancy. They seemed to think Frank knew the whereabouts of Voldemort. They tortured both of them." Dumbledore's voice was shaking.

"Are they…What happened to…" Susan couldn't bring herself to say the words.

"Nancy and Frank are still alive." Said Dumbledore slowly, as if searching for what to say next. Susan allowed herself to hope again.

"Where are they?" Susan asked.

"In the living room, but Susan…" however she didn't wait to hear the end of his sentence, she tore down the hall to the living room, took everything in, in one glance, and fainted.

~~~~~~~~

When Susan woke up she was in her own apartment, her own bed. She got up, left the apartment complex and walked into the still night, as a light snow began to fall.

She had only her purse and a coat with her.

Finnis (for now anyway)

Read Healings: Part I now at 

[http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=105386][1]

ENJOY!

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/master.cfm?action=story-read&storyid=105386



	2. Jane

Disclaimer: I'm sure you can figure out what belongs to J.K. Rowling and what belongs to me.

Healings: Part 1

Jane

By Kateydidnt

The disappearance of Susan Saari was all over the news the next day. Professor Dumbledore was upset and blamed himself.

"I should have left someone with her," he said.

Minerva McGonagall searched the apartment for any clue of what might have happened. But only the mirror had any useful information.

"She left during the night," it said in a nasal voice, "and she only took a coat and her purse. Yes, she was alone. But I was so offended! She didn't say a word to me, and she always tells me where she is going."

Volunteer searchers found no sign of her. Since all evidence indicated that Susan had left of her own will, the law prevented magical ways of tracking her. That was usually only used for fugitives and missing persons (underage runaways and kidnap situations.)

So the disappearance of Susan Tralet Saari remained a mystery. The Longbottoms were taken to St. Mungo's and Neville was sent to live with his paternal grandmother, Cheryl Longbottom.

~~~~~~

They called her a crazy eccentric old lady, although she was only in her early thirties. There were rumors that she had been in and out of every madhouse in England. But, as she paid them no mind, they left her alone. Nobody knew her real name, not even herself. Her earliest memory was at the police station crying, though the reason for her tears eluded her. So everyone just called her Jane, or sometimes Miss Jane.

When things got too exciting Jane would move to a quieter area.

And that is how she came to buy a house in the least exciting suburb she could find. Number Two Privet Drive.

~~~~~~

Aunt Petunia was full of gossip about the woman who had moved in next door. She kept spying through the window to see what other devious story she could dig up.

"They say she is half mad, Vernon!" she said over breakfast.

"Dudley, my boy, be sure to stay away from riff-raff like that!" Said Uncle Vernon gruffly to his overlarge son, whose eyes were glued to the TV on the counter.

Of course, Harry was sitting right there through the entire conversation, and, of course, nobody paid him any attention. Not that he minded. He had been home from Hogwarts for only a week and already he couldn't wait to get back. His 13th birthday was coming up and he knew it was not going to be a fun one.

~~~~~~

The morning of Harry's birthday he was feeling pretty good. The night before he had received gifts from Ron, Hermione and Hagrid.

When he came down for breakfast the news was on. 

"The public is warned that Black is armed and considered highly dangerous," the announcer was saying as the picture of Black flashed on screen. Uncle Vernon took that opportunity to complain about Harry's hair.

~~~~~~

Jane was in her living room at the same time, watching the same newscast. She stared at the pale, gaunt, disheveled man.

"He looks almost like…like…Who does he remind me of?" she continued to stare at the place the picture had been, even when the report was over with.

Finally she shrugged and went to her bedroom to get dressed and ready for work. She glanced out the window at the Dursley's house. In the short time she had lived here she had already decided she didn't like them. The young man, Harry, though, seemed a nice enough fellow, if a bit odd. He kept an owl for a pet, and, according to rumors, went to St Brutus' Secure School for Incurably Criminal Boys, but she didn't believe it.

She left for work.

~~~~~~

A week later Jane was lying on her bed doing some reading. She heard muffled screams coming from the Dursley's house, so she pulled up the shade to see what was going on. 

Vernon Dursley's sister, Marge, was inflating like a balloon.

"My goodness! I must be getting tired," she muttered to herself, refusing to believe what she had seen.

A few moments later, as she stood in her kitchen drinking a glass of water, she heard a door slam. Glancing out the front window, she saw Harry making tracks away from the Dursley's house, or going as fast as he could, lugging that trunk behind him. She quickly slipped on her bathrobe and some shoes. There was no way she was going to let a child alone out at night. She ran out of the house and followed the silhouette of Harry down the street. He turned onto Magnolia Crescent. However, by the time Jane turned the corner there was no sign of Harry. In fact, the street was completely still, except for a huge black dog retreating into the shadows of the Claimant's garage. Jane turned and slowly walked home. Finally she decided to see how Harry was the next day. Jane climbed into bed and turned the light out, not noticing a number of strangely attired people in the Dursley's dining room, who were slowly shrinking Marge down to size.

~~~~~~

Early the next morning Jane knocked on the Dursley's front door.

"What do you want?" asked Vernon in a curt voice when he saw who it was.

"I'm wondering how that nephew of yours is. I saw him leaving last night, and I want to make sure he's safe," Jane explained.

Mr. Dursley's face went purple, "We sent him back to St. Brutus', now good day!" he slammed the door.

~~~~~~

Months passed and Jane kept an eye out for Harry. Surely he would come home for holidays! But Christmas came and went, as did Easter, and still no sign of Harry.

Finally at the start of summer Jane spotted Harry in the Dursley's driveway, with an owl perched on his arm.

"Boy," called Petunia out the window, "I want all those weeds pulled!"

"Of course Aunt Petunia, as soon as I send this off to my Godfather," Harry said smiling.

Petunia gasped and hurriedly said, "It's a bit hot, perhaps another day."

Harry let the owl fly away, with a letter tied to its leg? Jane stared at Harry from her open living room window. There was definitely something odd about the boy.

~~~~~~

All summer Jane kept an eye on Harry. Whenever she could she would invite him in for a snack. They would talk about nothing in particular when he would come over.

"Harry, "she asked him one day while the Dursley's were out and it was safe for Harry to visit her, "What is that scar on your forehead?"

Harry lifted his hand and touched the lightening bolt, wondering what to say. "Well, uh, you see my parents died in a car accident when I was a baby, I was the only survivor, but I got this car in the crash."

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's sad to not know your parents."

"Did your parents die too?" Harry asked tentatively.

"Well," Jane answered, shrugging; "I don't remember my parents. I don't remember anything that happened before 13 years ago."

"Oh," Harry said awkwardly, "I'm sorry."

On Harry's birthday Jane slipped him a card while he was mowing the lawn. The next day he came over and thanked her.

"The Dursley's have never done anything for my birthday. My friends from school sent me gifts though," Harry told her.

"Harry," Jane asked, "you don't really go to St. Brutus' do you?"

Harry laughed, "No, Uncle Vernon just tells everyone that because he doesn't want anyone to know where I really go."

"So where do you really go?" Jane asked.

"Oh, a very selective private school up north in Scotland. You've probably never heard of it, I'd never even heard of it until I got a letter saying I'd been accepted." And then Harry said that it was time to leave because Petunia and Dudley were due back from London any minute now.

A few weeks later, it was a Sunday evening, Jane was mopping her kitchen floor, when she heard screams and crashes coming from the Dursley's house. She rushed outside and tried to get into the house to see what was wrong and if she might be of assistance, but the door was locked and the curtains shut. Half-an-hour later all was quiet, but it seemed Harry had been sent back to St. Brutus' or wherever he really went. But Jane didn't have time to investigate because her old friend Loraine Roberts had invited her to come and stay with her family for a few days.

Mr. Roberts managed some campgrounds, and Jane always enjoyed the open moors. However, this year, for some odd reason, the campgrounds were more crowded than Jane had ever seen them.

So Jane stayed in the Roberts' cabin most of the time, because she didn't like crowds.

"These campers!" said Mr. Roberts in exasperation at breakfast one morning, "They all seem to know each other, it's like a convention, or a rally. And I think they're foreigners! They keep trying to give me what looks like play money, but I won't take it. Here are more of them!" they all watched as he went out the screen door. There was a group of people, most of them had red hair, but two didn't.

~~~~~~

Miss Jane, Miss Jane!" called Gloria Roberts- daughter of Michael and Loraine.

"What is it?" she said absently, her nose in a book.

"There's purple fire and there is a man in a flowery dress!" Gloria giggled.

"That's funny Gloria," agreed Jane glancing at the girl then returning to her book.

That night a strange thing happened, all the campers, every single one of them, were gone. The tents were still there but all the people were gone!

Jane took the opportunity to go to a hotel for the night, promising that she would return the next evening, but that she couldn't stand large crowds.

When she returned the next night there were almost no campers left.

"Loraine? I'm back," called Jane.

"Oh, there you are! Been wondering when you'd get back," Loraine said coming into the room.

"So, how was last night?" Jane asked.

"Dreadful! You wouldn't believe how many drunks there were. Gave Gloria nightmares, screaming and carrying on like that."

"Really? Nightmares about what?"

"She said that in it we were all floating up in the air and there were a bunch of wizards, -imagine that! - Spinning us around. She was terribly upset and thought it was real. But I think she's gotten over it now."

"And Tyler? Nightmare free, I suppose," Loraine nodded, and Jane continued, "You know, it has always struck me odd how imaginative Gloria is. And how down- to-earth Tyler is; even though he is younger. I remember last year Gloria was drawing unicorns and magical castles while Tyler was drawing cars and planes."

"I know what you mean. But even though Gloria is ten, oh, by the way Gloria's turning eleven on November 24th, she has the wildest imagination I've ever heard of, which makes for some very entertaining dinner conversation," Loraine answered laughing.

~~~~~~

After visiting the Roberts family Jane went back to Number Two Privet Drive. There was still no sign of Harry and she suspected she wouldn't see him again until summer.

~~~~~~

Gloria was excited. Today was her birthday and she was having a party. Miss Jane was coming and so were many of her friends from school.

However, the morning had not gotten off to a good start. Somehow the toaster, which wasn't even plugged in, had burnt her toast. Then there had been no hot water, but it had suddenly started to burn Gloria. 

Her brother Tyler was excited too, he didn't quite understand that those presents weren't for him. When Jane arrived, it was time for the birthday lunch.

Tyler was upset because he wanted to show Jane his newest drawings. Loraine told him "Later!" which seemed to placate him.

Finally after all the presents had been unwrapped and all the guests had left, Tyler led Jane up to his room.

"Look at these!" he said, handing her a stack of childish drawings.

"That's me!" he said excitedly, pointing to a stickman in a Crayola Red car. Jane put down the stack and picked up another.

"Can I look at these?" she asked. Tyler looked up from where he was sitting on his bed, drawing.

"Sure, I drew those a long time ago."

All of the drawings were cars too. Except for the one on the bottom. When Jane saw it, she fainted.

"Mommy!" screamed Tyler when she collapsed.

"What?" Loraine said running into the room, "Go get your father!" She closed the door after Tyler.

Gently she shook Jane. "No, no!" Jane mumbled.

"Jane! Jane! What's wrong?"

"No, no! Not that!" Jane mumbled, giving no indication that she had heard anything.

"What happened?" asked Michael coming into the room.

"I don't know. She fainted and Tyler yelled for me to come in. Right now she isn't making any sense. She's mumbling 'No, no, not that!'"

"What's that she's holding?" Mr. Roberts asked indicating Tyler's drawing. Loraine took it out of Jane's hand and looked at it.

It was, though drawn by a child's hand, unmistakably a green skull with a snake protruding as a tongue.

"Is that what made her faint?" asked Michael.

Loraine shrugged and explained, "You do know, I first met Jane when I was volunteering at the Psychiatric Hospital in town. From what I could gather something traumatic must have happened to her, which her mind blocked out. That's why she only remembers these past 13 or so years and nothing before. But I guess this might have triggered a memory."

"Will she be okay?" Michael asked anxiously.

"I hope so."

An hour later Jane was apparently fine, and she left.


	3. Stirrings of the Mind

A/N Gloria just invited herself in as a major character; I had nothing to do with it.

Healings: Part Two

Stirrings of the Mind

By Kateydidnt

The boy next door, Harry, was running around the lawn, waving a wand. Another boy joined him; it was Tyler, and, he too, was waving a wand. Gloria walked up and started scolding them.

"You are underage, no magic, no wands!" she yelled.

Harry noticed Jane standing there. Suddenly a girl appeared at Harry's side. She had the curliest brown hair Jane had ever seen.

"This is my friend!" Harry called to her, "Her name is Hermione and she goes to my school. We go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

~~~~~~

Jane woke up. That had been a strange dream. She'd been having a lot of strange dreams lately; mostly they were filled with strangely dressed people and muttered Latin phrases. She supposed (she always liked to guess why things happened in her dreams) that Harry had been in her dream because she was worried about him; the Roberts children were easy, having just returned from their house they were on her mind. But how in the world did Hermione Granger get in the dream? She'd met the girl a few times when Luke Granger had been her dentist, but that had been years ago! Jane wasn't even positive that Hermione had been the child's name. And then there were those wands; they looked like Halloween props. The weirdest part, though, was that school name Harry had shouted, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Where had that come from?

~~~~~~

It was a bright summer day, June 23rd to be exact. There was a knock at the door.

"Yes? How may I help you?" asked Jane, surprised to see Vernon Dursley standing on her front stoop.

"Mrs. Figg down the street moved away, so we have nowhere to leave Harry next month while we go on vacation. Would you be interested in the job?" He asked grumpily; "We'd pay you and the boy will do whatever you tell him, just be forceful about it. Would you take him?"

Jane stared at him for a moment, "Okay, I'll take him," she said slowly. Vernon promptly shook her hand, and, just as promptly, stomped back to his own house.

~~~~~~

A week and a half later Harry came home. The first thing Jane noticed as he got out of the car was his face. It looked years older than it had been only ten months before. Evidently the Dursley's had already told Harry he would be spending most of July and a week into August with Jane, because when he saw her he gave a sort of half smile and said, "I guess I'll be able to see you more this summer."

~~~~~~

The Dursleys left on 5th after making sure that Harry had all his stuff at Jane's house so he wouldn't have to go back into the Dursley's house while they were gone.

"No funny stuff, boy!" Jane heard Vernon say in a severe voice to Harry. Harry nodded mutely as he watched his cousin, aunt, and uncle pile into the car and drive away. He then followed Jane into her house.

~~~~~~

Jane didn't know what was wrong with Harry. He acted normal enough while she was with him, but whenever she looked at him when he didn't notice his face would loose its smile and he would stare off blankly, as if remembering something extremely upsetting.

"Harry, what's wrong?" she asked finally; "What happened to you?"

Harry looked at her for a moment and then sighed, "At school this year a boy was killed, and I saw it happen."

Jane didn't bring up the subject again.

She also noticed a quite interesting phenomenon; every couple of days Harry would receive mail by owl and send return by owl. (Harry had decided that it would be worse not to receive mail from his friends than it would be for a muggle to notice owl post.) 

"Why do you send letters by owl?" Jane asked as he tied a letter to Hedwig's outstretched leg. 

"Well, it is cheaper. You don't have to pay postage; just buy an owl and you're all set until it dies. Plus an owl can't pilfer or loose your mail as easily as the postal people can."

"Maybe I should consider getting an owl. How do they know where they are going?" Jane asked smiling.

Harry shrugged.

~~~~~~

"Harry, " Jane said one day after he came in from weeding the garden, "On Friday we are going to go to a friend's house for a few weeks."

So two days later Harry found himself at the campsite, near where the Quidditch World Cup had been held, at the Roberts' house.

Gloria and Tyler seemed to latch on to Harry immediately. They would always drag Harry everywhere, from the open moor to the forest to the creek and to the water spigot. They did have fun. However, Harry didn't like the memories that the forest brought back. He knew that, just a few hundred feet away, Barty Crouch Jr. had sent the Dark Mark up into the sky, almost a year ago.

Harry suddenly realized that these children had been the objects of the Death Eater's muggle torturing.

One day, near the end of July, after returning from the forest with Gloria and Tyler, Harry noticed an owl carrying a letter. Before he had left with Jane he had sent letters to Dumbledore, Sirius, Hermione and Ron explaining that it might not be such a good idea to send him anything until he was back at Jane's house. Jane knowing about owl post was one thing, but an entire family was another. So seeing the owl made him nervous, it might mean bad news.

However it was just his school list.

Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts _by M. Atrox_

Wizards Who Ignored the Stars _by Linda Astralis_

Preparing For Your O.W.L.s: An Official Board Recommended Guide

Harder Transfigurations _by Lotis Myers_

Potent Potions _by John Viren _(A/N NOT Most Potente Potions as mentioned in book 2)

Advanced Charms _by Miranda Goshawk_

Creatures and Creepers _by Seclam Kerm_

Hogwarts: A History

The Grand Celestial Dance _by Aurora Eliki_

Harry had just finished reading and put the letter into his pocket when another owl arrived. It was carrying a letter, addressed in emerald green, to Gloria. 

"is this for real?" asked Mr. Roberts examining the parchment, "or is it a joke?"

"No Dad! It's got to be true! Oh, I hope it is! Wouldn't it be fun to be able to do magic?"

"Dear, I'm afraid it's just a joke, there is no such thing as magic," Mrs. Roberts explained gently, "even if there were, where would we buy these supplies that it requires?No, Gloria, I'm afraid it is probably some advertising ploy."

Harry glanced around, debating what to do.Jane stood up and took the letter from Loraine and looked at it.

"What a cruel joke to play on an impressionable young girl, to drive up her hopes and then dash them against walls of reality!" Jane said angrily.

Harry took the letter, stared at it for a moment and then handed it back to Gloria, saying, "You'd better send a reply."

"What!" shouted Loraine.

"It says 'send reply by owl before August 1.'"

"This is a joke Harry, don't get Gloria's hopes up again," Loraine said sharply.

"No, Mrs. Roberts, it is not a joke.It is as real as I am, standing right in front of you."

"What do you mean? There is no such thing as magic!" yelled Jane, who then, to the surprise of everyone, stomped out of the house and drove away.Everyone stared after her for a few moments.

Finally, Gloria broke the silence, tentatively saying, "Harry, am I magical? Am I a witch?"

"Well," Harry scratched his head, "I've never known Dumbledore or McGonagall to lie, so you must be."

"Harry, you know these people?" demanded Mr. Roberts.

"Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, I will be starting my fifth year at Hogwarts on September first."

~~~~~~

The next morning Jane called and asked the Roberts to bring Harry back to her house on July 31st, two days away.They agreed.However, first they all went to London and Harry introduced them to Diagon Alley.Harry led the Robertses to the Leaky Cauldron, where they decided to have a bite to eat.After exchanging pleasantries with Tom, Mr. Roberts leaned over and asked Harry a question.

"Are any of the tales of evil witches and wizards true?" Harry could tell he was nervous.

"Well, it is a society, just like Muggle society--that's non-magical society. You have the good sort and the bad sort.Right now there is a lot of trouble in the wizarding world.You met some of his minions last summer."

"What are you talking about?" asked Mrs. Roberts.

"I was at your campsite last summer.You, Mr. Roberts, commented on the number of people who reserved sites before hand, you also thought it must be a rally of some sort, because everyone seemed to know each other.What it was, was the Quidditch World Cup, Quidditch is the main sport in our world.After the game, though, a bunch of wizards, known as Death Eaters, decided they would have a little 'fun,'" Harry stopped for a moment, then he sighed and continued, "You won't remember what happened, the good wizards wiped it from your memory.These Death Eaters used magic to float you up in the air and…" But Harry stopped as Mrs. Roberts gasped and looked at Gloria.

"Gloria, your nightmare!"

Gloria nodded and told Harry about the nightmare she had had the year before.

"That was no nightmare, it happened," Harry told them.The Robertses thought on that for a few moments.

Something furry touched Harry's hand.He yelped and almost jumped out of his chair.He looked down and saw a great black dog, panting, and _grinning_ at him.

"Si…Snuffles!" Harry shouted and hugged the dog.

"Well, I wondered who he smelled," said a familiar voice.Harry turned to smile at Professor Lupin.

"Professor, you look great!" and he did; his robes were a bit tattered, but he looked healthy.

"Call me Remus. So who are your friends?"

"This is the Roberts family, Mike, Loraine, Gloria, and Tyler.Gloria just got her Hogwarts letter, so I brought them all here to get her supplies."

"Someone told me that you were staying with your next-door neighbor. A woman named Jane, I believe it was."

"Oh, you see, I was, but while we were visiting the Roberts family, Gloria got her letter.Jane got all upset and left.Tomorrow I'm going back to her house."

Remus looked worried, "That doesn't sound good.How long has she been your neighbor?"

"I don't think she has anything to do with Voldemort, if that is what you mean.She moved in half-way through my second year at Hogwarts."

"Well, what made her act that way?" Remus asked scratching his chin.

"Excuse me, "said Loraine hesitantly.

"Yes?" answered Remus and Harry together.

"I first met Jane when I was volunteering at the hospital.Jane has no memory of her past.From what I've been able to find out, something traumatic happened to her and she refuses to think about it or remember it.Jane was found almost 14 years ago by the police, crying her eyes out, with no identification.She still doesn't remember anything about who she is or where she came from, basically it's amnesia.However, if something brings a memory to the surface, she will react severely."

"Of course," nodded Remus, "the mind's own defense system is more powerful than any Memory Charm we have.Still though, Harry you have to be careful.I'll tell Dumbledore.Do you have any other instances when she has had a… panic attack like this before?"

Loraine started to shake her head but Tyler spoke up. "She fainted when she looked at my drawing."

"What drawing? What was it of?" Remus pounced on it.

"We threw it away because it upset her so much.It was a green skull, with a snake sticking out of its mouth," Loraine explained

"_What!_" Remus went slightly pale, "When did this happen?"

"Last November, it was on Gloria's 11th birthday."

"Tyler, "Harry cut in suddenly, "where did you get the idea to draw that?"

"It was in the sky! Like Gloria said we were."

"Remus, at the Quidditch World Cup, Mr. Roberts was the campsite manager.You remember the article in the Daily Prophet about it, I'm sure.The Death Eaters attacked a Muggle family.It was the Roberts family. But, " Harry paused a moment, "I know there were memory charms performed, so how do Gloria and Tyler remember?"

"That's easy, Remus said, "You need a different type of spell for a wizard than you need for a Muggle.If Gloria is a witch, then I suppose Tyler is a wizard.It would explain why they both remember snippets of that event," Remus sighed, "Okay now, I'll tell Dumbledore all this and you go own and help them get Gloria's supplies.Go back to Jane's house and someone will come around soon and check on you.Come on Snuffles." Remus beckoned the dog.Snuffles sat down on his haunches and refused to move.Harry laughed.

"Remus, I hope you two don't have to be anywhere to be today, because it looks like Snuffles wants to stay with me."

Remus rolled his eyes, but he nodded and left.

"What was all the fuss about Tyler's drawing?" asked Mr. Roberts.

"Well, you see, there is this evil wizard named Voldemort (a passing witch yelped and glared at Harry), but almost everyone is too afraid to say his name, they usually call him 'You-know-who' or 'He-who-must-not-be-named' or the Dark Lord.He is the leader of the Death Eaters.That skull with the snake in the mouth, is his sign, it's called the Dark Mark."

"Why do you say his name?" asked Gloria.

"Why not?" Harry said.He rose from the table and led them out into Diagon Alley.

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Hope you liked this, if anyone is actually reading this, please review!!! I'll post more of my other stories soon. (Hopefully.) with limited time on my computer, I really shouldn't have three stories running at the same time!


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